News
National Healthy Housing Leaders Announced as HomeFree Champions
Healthy Building Network is excited to announce the HomeFree Champions who will shape and guide HomeFree, our initiative to support affordable housing leaders who are improving human health by decreasing their use of toxic building materials. The 16 members are a dynamic group of national and regional healthy-housing experts who represent cross-sector disciplines. “We are honored to be working with top innovators who have been creating the healthiest, high-efficiency buildings in the country, and who are willing to share their knowledge with others,” says Gina Ciganik, CEO of Healthy Building Network.
Read MoreAIA Code of Ethics Now Includes Healthier, More Sustainable Materials
The American Institute of Architects (AIA), a professional association for architects, recently made several additions to its Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct with the intention of improving sustainability and decreasing the health impacts of materials.
Read MoreAffordable Housing Sector Is Advancing Healthier Materials for All
Healthy Building Network is excited to announce our new partnership with Housing Partnership Network (HPN) and its procurement platform, HPN Select. Our aim is to leverage our combined strengths and expertise to make affordable housing environments healthier for residents and for the practitioners who build and maintain them. By merging the power of the Select marketplace with HBN’s research and our HomeFree initiative’s in-depth information about the health impacts of building materials, we’ll increase our capacity to shape innovative solutions and encourage the adoption of healthier materials throughout the affordable housing sector. This, in turn, will create solutions for everyone—not just those with financial means.
Read MoreCareful Insulation Selection and Installation Can Protect R-Value and Health
Proper installation techniques as well as protection during installation are key to achieving optimal product performance and to protecting both workers and residents during and after insulation is installed.
Read MoreRegional Insights Provide a Baseline to Advance Specification Guidance
Are you curious about regional trends in building products? Do you want to know what your peers are using on their projects? Healthy Building Network has collected project specifications to assess baseline information to help you understand typical products installed in affordable housing and identify opportunities for improvement. The results of the Washington, DC baseline specification study are now live on the HomeFree site, where you’ll find similar studies for California, Louisiana, Minnesota, and the Pacific Northwest. Next up is New York.
Read MoreJust Released: These Healthier Insulations and Sealants Also Improve Energy Efficiency
Addressing concerns that some insulation products release unhealthy chemicals, HBN is proud to have conducted the extensive materials research detailed in a new guide to healthier insulation and air sealing materials.
Read MoreHomeFree helped make the Liberty Bank Building a healthier place to live – What could it do for your project?
As part of our HomeFree program, Healthy Building Network partnered with Capitol Hill Housing (CHH) on a pacific northwest demonstration project at their Liberty Bank Building. The partnership provided information and research for CHH to explore and select healthier, alternative materials, and led to a renewed, organization-wide commitment to health and their creation of a Healthy Homes Initiative.
Read MoreHomeFree Receives Funding to Expand its Pioneering Work
The JPB Foundation has awarded Healthy Building Network funding to continue and expand the work of our pioneering HomeFree initiative, which improves the health of marginalized communities by advancing and accelerating the adoption of healthier materials in affordable housing. HomeFree connects the dots between the toxics in our built environment and human health implications – like asthma, developmental delays, cancer, and more. This funding will allow us to build capacity through new educational options, co-create actionable solutions with our regional and national partners, and scale our impact.
Read MoreNew Sealant Category for Healthier Energy Efficiency Programs
Healthy Building Network has introduced a new sealant category on HomeFree, our national initiative supporting affordable housing leaders who are improving human health by using less-toxic building materials. The new recommendations and hazard spectrum were developed by HBN for the Energy Efficiency for All (EEFA) Healthier Affordable Building Materials project.
Read MoreIt’s Not Just About VOCs: Select APE-free Paint, Too
Earlier this year, the Healthy Building Network (HBN) recommended specifying nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPE)-free paints in addition to low- or very low volatile organic compound (VOC) paints to help protect human health and the environment. HBN is expanding this recommendation to include the broader category of chemical compounds known as alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs), which encompass NPEs. Expanding the recommendation to include APEs will help avoid regrettable substitutions. If you have been concerned about VOCs in your paint,[1] you should be equally concerned about APEs, including NPEs. Read on to find out why and see a list of products without APEs.
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